PIANO playing visitors to Halesowen’s Cornbow Centre are being invited to serenade shoppers with impromptu tunes and raise money for charity.

The town’s rotary club has had a piano painted in its colours – blue and yellow – and hopes to encourage live music with pianists of all ages playing their favourite pieces.

Rotarian Tony Billingham, who is himself a musician, came up with the idea after seeing a piano had been placed in the Central Arcade at London’s St Pancras Station, for commuters to tickle the ivories.

He said: “The idea has caught on in several other places in the country and has helped to promote live music and has improved footfall in town centres.”

The piano will be positioned by the centre’s coffee area for a week from Saturday March 29 with a Rotary collecting box for donations from pianists and audience, which will go to various charities.